Valve for pressurized containers

ABSTRACT

A valve device including a valve stem having a flange with a peripheral edge which is received by an annular receiver which constitutes a separate part of the valve device. The annular receiver has a seat receiving a peripheral edge of the flange, and either the flange or the seat has at least one, and preferably a plurality of openings therein allowing pressurized contents of the container to reach a space between the flange and a sealing ring against which a sealing portion of the valve stem is biased. The interior of the valve stem is blocked, but a hollow portion of the valve stem has at least one opening therein within the sealing ring and normally blocked by the sealing ring. When the valve stem is depressed, the sealing ring bends to uncover the opening, thus allowing container contents to be discharged. The flange is distorted and due to the resiliency or elasticity thereof, it returns the valve stem to its valve-closed position.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Erlcl: W.Gronemeyer 3430 Gall Ocean Drive; Louis F. Kutik, 8720 S. W. 23rd Place, both of Fort Lauderdale. Fla. 33308 [2i] Appl. No. 831,417 [22] Filed June 9, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 54] VALVE FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS 3,145,011 8/1964 Kappel .I. 222/4o2.24x

3,521,859 7/1970 Gronemeyer 251/353 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon, Jr. Attorney-Settle and Oltman ABSTRACT: A valve device including a valve stem having a flange with a peripheral edge which is received by an annular receiver which constitutes a separate part of the valve device. The annular receiver has a seat receiving a peripheral edge of the flange, and either the flange or the seat has at least one, and preferably a plurality of openings therein allowing pressurized contents of the container to reach a space between the flange and a sealing ring against which a sealing portion of the valve stem is biased. The interior of the valve stem is blocked, but a hollow portion of the valve stem has atleast one opening therein within the sealing ring and normally blocked by the sealing ring. When the valve stem is depressed, the sealing ring bends-to uncover the opening, thus allowing container contents to be discharged. The flange is distorted and due to the resiliency or elasticity thereof, it returns the valve stem to its valve-closed position.

PATENTEDAUI; 3197: 3.5961811 SHEET 1 BF 2 SC XV W INVENTORS ERICH W. GRONEMEYER LOUIS F, KUTIK M art/55 311,

PATENTED AUG 3 l9?! SHEEI 2 [1F 2 INVENTORS ERICH W. GRONEMEYER LOUIS F. KUTIK VALVE ron rnsssumzsn CONTAINERS RELATED APPLICATION BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION The valve of the copending application referred to above is characterized by improved aerosolizing' action, but it can be used in other applications; for example, to dispense foam or a liquid stream. That valve is also advantageous in that it can be made from relatively few parts which can be assembled easily into a complete valve, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the valve as compared to known aerosol valves.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a valve device which incorporates the features and advantages of the valve of the copending application referred to above, and which provides an alternate form of construction for a valve of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing valve of unusually simple construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve stem and radial flange which can be manufactured as one piece from plastic material, and a receiver element having a seat for receiving a peripheral edge of the flange of unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve device in which pressurized contents of a container are supplied to a the valve stem space between a radial flange or membrane of a valve stem unit and a sealing member of the valve through a path which is outside the stern of the valve stem unit.

Amoung the other objects of the invention are to provide an aerosol valve with parts which can be readily molded from plastic material, which can be easily and economically assem- I ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly broken away, showing a container with a valve device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the valve device taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the valve device taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the valve device in an actuated or valve-open position; 4

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a valve stem unit of the valve device;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly broken away showing a container with a valve device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the valve device taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the valve device in an actuated or valve-open position.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 6, there is shown a portion of a container having a valve device 22 mounted at the top thereof for use in discharging the pressurized contents of the container. Such a valve device is often known as an aerosol valve, but it may be used for purposes other than aerosolizing; e.g., to dispense foam or a liquid stream.

The valve device 22 includes a partly hollow valve stem 24 which has a flange 26 projecting radially therefrom and molded as one piece with the valve stem 24. The interior of the valve stem 24 is hollow except where it is blocked by a blocking portion 28.

Just above the blocking portion 28,'there is an opening or a set of openings 30 through the sidewall of the valve stem 24. These openings lie within the inner edge 32 of a sealing ring or washer 34, and the edge 32 of the washer normally blocks the openings 30. The valve stem 24 has a sealing portion in the form of a shoulder 36 which butts against the sealing ring 34 to provide a seal for preventing the pressurized contents of the container from reaching the openings 30 when the valve is in its valve-closed position as shown in FIG. 2.

The peripheral edge of the flange26 is received on a circular seating surface 38 on a receiver member 40 which is a separate plastic part of the valve unit. The receiver element 40 is hollow, and held by a metal retainer 42 which is swedged at 44 so as to press the retainer element 40 upwardly against the sealing ring 34 to provide a good seal where the upper edge of receiver element 40 meets the sealing ring; The metal retainer 42 is attached to the top of the container 20 at a sealed joint in order to attach the valve device to the container.

When the valve device 22 is fully assembled as shown in FIG. 2, the flange 26 is flexed or distorted slightly so as to bias the seating shoulder 36 against the sealing ring 34. The flange 26 has a plurality of apertures 46 therein for allowing the pressurized contents of the container to reach a space 48 between the flange 26 and the sealing ring 34.

The receiver 40 has a reduced portion 50 at the bottom end thereof which forms a tube to which a dip tube 52 is attached. The dip tube 52 extends downwardly into the container to a point near the bottom thereof so that the pressurized contents of the container will be forced through the dip tube into the valve device. The receiver 40 is stationary, but the valve stem 24 is movable relative to the receiver. The receiver 40 has a stop surface 54 at the top of tube portion 50 which stops the bottom edge 56 of the valve stern 24 during its downward travel so as to limit the downward movement of the valve stem. The movement of the valve stem is guided by ribs 58 formed on the inside of the receiver 40 and spaced about the inner perimeter of the receiver so as to be slidably engaged by the sidewall of the valve stem 24. The bottom edge of the valve stem has recesses 60 therein which permit pressurized contents of the container to flow into a space between valve stem 24 and receiver 40 even when the valve stem 24 is fully depressed so that the bottom of the valve stem butts against the stops 54.

The valve device is shown in an actuated or valve-open position in FIG. 5. It may be seen that the valve stem 24 has been depressed, and a slanting circular surface 62 on the valve stem has pushed the sealing ring 34 downwardly so as to bend the sealing ring away from the openings 30, thus uncovering these openings. The bottom of the valve stem butts up against the stop surface 54.

With the valve in the position shown in FIG. 5, the pressurized contents of the container flow through the dip tube 52, the tube portion 50 of receiver 40, then recesses 60, the spaces between the ribs 58, the space between valve stem 24 and the inner wall of receiver 40, the openings 46, the space 48, the openings 30, and the space within the upper part of valve stem 24 to a small opening 64 in a valve cap 66 which is attached to the top of the valve stem 24. The container contents are discharged as an aerosol through the very small opening 64 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the valve stem is released, the resiliency or elasticity of the flange 26 causes the valve stem 24 to return to the valve-closed position as shown in FIG. 2. This blocks the openings 30 to again prevent the pressurized container contents from escaping from the valve.

FIGS. 7 through 11 show another embodiment of the invention which is very similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6, so the same reference numerals have been used for like parts. One difference of the valve of FIGS. 7-11 from that of FIGS. 1-6 is that the outer peripheral edge of the radial flange 26 is seated on a seating surface 38 which has a plurality of grooves or notches 39 formed therein to provide a path for allowing the pressurized container contents to reach the space 48 between the flange 26 and the sealing ring 34. Thus, it is not essential to provide openings such as the openings 46 of FIGS. 2 and 5 in the flange 26.

Another difference of the valve device of FIGS. 7 through 11 as compared to that of FIGS. 1 through 6 is that the seating surface 36 is on a flange 37 which projects outwardly from the valve stem 24. Another difference is that bottom end of the valve stem 24 is completely closed or has no hollow interior, but it is still received within a hollow portion of the receiver 40 near the bottom thereof. A stop surface 54 is still provided on the interior of the receiver 40 near the bottom thereof to limit the downward movement of the valve stem 24. The ribs 58 of FIG. 2 have been omitted, but it should be understood that such ribs could be provided if desired. The bottom portion of the receiver 40 has a cross-sectional shape that is shown in FIG. 10 wherein there are small projections 70 against which the bottom of the valve stem 24 abuts when the valve stem is fully depressed. The space around these projections 70 allows the pressurized container contents to enter the space between receiver 40 and valve stem 24 when the valve stem is fully depressed in the manner shown in FIG. 11.

The construction and operation of the valve device of FIGS. 7 through 11 is otherwise substantially the same as that of the valve device of FIGS. 1-6 and consequently the description of construction and operation will not be repeated.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A valve for discharging pressurized material from a container, said valve comprising a yieldable sealing ring, a partly hollow valve stem extending through said sealing ring, a mem' brane or flange connected to and extending radially outward from a part of said valve stem beneath said sealing ring, said valve stem having a sealing portion butting against said sealing ring to thereby distort said flange with said flange being sufficiently elastic to urge said valve stem toward said sealing ring so that said sealing portion seals against said ring, said valve stem having at least one opening therein within said sealing ring which opening is nonnally blocked by said sealing ring but being openable by depressing said valve stem to bend said ring and distort said flange, said flange serving to return said valve stem, an annular receiver butting against said sealing;

ring and surrounding said valve stem, said receiver having a seat receiving a peripheral edge of said flange, the interior of said receiver communicating with the interior of said container, one of said flange and said receiver seat having at least one opening therein to allow entry of the container contents into a space between said flange and said sealing ring, said receiver having a hollow lower portion for connection to a dip tube to receive the pressurized contents from the container, and said valve stem having a lower portion cooperating with said lower receiver portion, said lower portions having means providing a passage for flow of the container contents from said receiver lower portion around the outside of said stem lower portion under said flange and from there through said flange/seat opening to said space for discharge upon depression of said valve stem.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said receiver seat has at least one opening therein.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said flange has at least one opening therein.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said valve stem has a portion slidably engaging said receiver and guided thereby.

5. A valve as claimed in claim 4 in which said receiver has ribs projecting inwardly therefrom for guiding said stem.

6. A valve as claimed in claim 5 in which said receiver has a shoulder forming a stop for said stem.

7. A valve as claimed in claim 6 in which the bottom edge of said stem has a recess therein to permit passage of container contents when said edge abuts said shoulder.

8. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said receiver has a shoulder forming'a stop for said stem.

9. A valve as claimed in claim 8 in which said receiver has ribs with spaces therebetween adjacent said shoulder allowing pressurized container contents to pass the bottom of said valve stem contacts said stop. 

1. A valve for discharging pressurized material from a container, said valve comprising a yieldable sealing ring, a partly hollow valve stem extending through said sealing ring, a membrane or flange connected to and extending radially outward from a part of said valve stem beneath said sealing ring, said valve stem having a sealing portion butting against said sealing ring to thereby distort said flange with said flange being sufficiently elastic to urge said valve stem toward said sealing ring so that said sealing portion seals against said ring, said valve stem having at least one opening therein within said sealing ring which opening is normally blocked by said sealing ring but being openable by depressing said valve stem to bend said ring and distort said flange, said flange serving to return said valve stem, an annular receiver butting against said sealing ring and surrounding said valve stem, said receiver having a seat receiving a peripheral edge of said flange, the interior of said receiver communicating with the interior of said container, one of said flange and said receiver seat having at least one opening therein to allow entry of the container contents into a space between said flange and said sealing ring, said receiver having a hollow lower portion for connection to a dip tube to receive the pressurized contents from the container, and said valve stem having a lower portion cooperating with said lower receiver portion, said lower portions having means providing a passage for flow of the container contents from said receiver lower portion around the outside of said stem lower portion under said flange and from there through said flange/seat opening to said space for discharge upon depression of said valve stem.
 2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said receiver seat has at least one opening therein.
 3. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said flange has at least one opening therein.
 4. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said valve stem has a portion slidably engaging said receiver and guided thereby.
 5. A valve as claimed in claim 4 in which said receiver has ribs projecting inwardly therefrom for guiding said stem.
 6. A valve as claimed in claim 5 in which said receiver has a shoulder forming a stop for said stem.
 7. A valve as claimed in claim 6 in which the bottom edge of said stem has a recess therein to permit passage of container contents when said edge abuts said shoulder.
 8. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in which said receiver has a shoulder forming a stop for said stem.
 9. A valve as claimed in claim 8 in which said receiver has ribs with spaces therebetween adjacent said shoulder allowing pressurized container contents to pass the bottom of said valve stem contacts said stop. 